A Midsummer Night's Dream
by Kay Kylo
Summary: What? Naraku's a just, loyal leader with lady problems? Kikyo is a poor, love-sick pitiful fool? Miroku is an angry Fairy King bent on revenge? There's gonna be trouble!
1. Prologue oh the silliness!

Hello world. This is a new idea that I'm working on. I mentioned it on my Jungle Book story, so this is just a beginning prologue. I have to have prologues. If I don't, I don't know where to start.  
  
This prologue is set in our time, as you will find out soon enough. Just read it. It's just a silly section I had to put in here so that I could have a prologue for myself.  
  
Silliness. Gotta love it. There is nothing finer than a nice lump of silliness to start your day, or finish it, or have at lunch, or at dinner, or at breakfast- you get the idea.  
  
So, this is just a beginning to get you all ready for the next parts.  
  
DO NOT OWN INUYASHA!!! (If I did, Shippou would be sitting on my lap right now and Miroku would be sorry for every woman he ever touched)  
  
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There is a blonde figure hunched over a desk in a corner, rifling through books on her lap. "Let's see. Comedy of Errors, nope. Too difficult for a first. Henry the Sixth? Yuck! I had histories! Twelfth Night. I could pull that off, but not how. As You Like It- now there's a good play! But not now. Too hard. Hamlet- hey! How'd this get in here?"  
  
The book the figure was holding in her hands disdainfully was suddenly thrown over her shoulder and she resumed what she had been doing. "The Tempest- possibly, possibly. NO! This one!" She held up a book reverently. "This! This is the perfect one!" She laughed maniacally as thunder rolled ominously and lightning flashed to light her up from behind.  
  
"Now, where are my thespians?" she asked. She approached a door that was shaking suspiciously and she flung it open. There, sitting in her hallway closet, was the whole Inuyasha cast. "Hello my actors! I need your help!"  
  
Shippou raised his voice to be heard. "Say no! I heard her laughter! She's going to make us do stupid stuff!" The girl suddenly looked hurt.  
  
"No I'm not," she muttered innocently, a small halo appearing over her head.  
  
Cautiously, Inuyasha, the unofficially elected leader, stepped forward. "What if we say no?"  
  
The girl smiled widely. "I'll bug you until the day you die," she answered, her voice as cheerful as possible. The group looked around at each other before they looked back at her.  
  
"Yes," was their unanimous reply. This set the figure into an ecstatic mood.  
  
"Wonderful! Here are your parts. Memorize them. And then- WE PLAY!"  
  
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Creepy. I portrayed myself as a very bad girl. I'm not really like that, but they won't obey me unless I'm scary.  
  
Inu: YEAH, and you threatened us with your swords!  
  
Me: Uh, Inu-chan, they're fake. They're wood.  
  
Inu: HUH???  
  
Me: Exactly.  
  
Inu: I'm out of this.  
  
Me: No you aren't.  
  
Inu: oh, yeah? You can't stop me, wench.  
  
Me: Kagome, my dear friend, will you please help me?  
  
Kag: (Grins evilly) Of course, my dear friend. OSUWARI!!!  
  
Inu: MMMMRRRRFFFFF!!!!!!!  
  
Me: Thank you, my dear friend. Can you make sure our friend will stay here?  
  
Kag: Of course, my dear friend.  
  
(Shippou comes flying in, dressed in fairy clothing, a ridiculous look on his face) Rrrgh, uh, yeah. This is Shippou, the cute little kitsune, here to say- (Cuts off and runs off stage. Whispers heard. Flies in again) This is Shippou, the cute little kitsune, here to say- what's my line again? (Hissed voices calling from off stage) Oh, yeah. Here to say, REVIEW FOR KAY KYLO!! 


	2. Chapter 1 The Clearing

Disclaimer: Before the fun begins, let me say one thing: I DO NOT OWN!!! HAPPY???  
  
I am only going to say this once: The pairing may not appeal to you, but it fits this story line, so deal with it. Further more, you might not like my casting. I am sorry you do not. It fits, and if you dislike this story, flame me. Thanks!  
  
Another note: This is in today's English, so we can read this easier. This is, after all, a story of the play based on how I want it acted out. I do put in some of the original lines simply because they are priceless, so struggle through them, but I will make sure they aren't too hard.  
  
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM  
  
Miroku: HELP US!!  
  
Sango: She's making us play out A Midsummer Night's Dream!!! ARGH!!! I HAVE TO BE HIS WIFE!!  
  
Me: It's not too bad. You're angry at him for almost all of the play. And you sleep a whole lot. You've got it good!  
  
Sango: Hey, you cannot say that! I have to act like I like Kouga!  
  
Kouga: I wanted to play Lysander!  
  
Me: You're not.  
  
Inuyasha: Are. you. crazy... I WILL NOT PLAY THIS PART!!!  
  
Kikyo: WHY AM I A POOR PITIFUL FOOL????  
  
Sesshoumaru: You have got to be kidding me. I am not playing Demetrius.  
  
Me: SHUT UP!! My casting is final.  
  
Kagura: I am not playing Hippolyta.  
  
Me: (Shoots her The Look) You are.  
  
Naraku: I have to play Theseus? I am not a good, just, kind leader like that guy!  
  
Shippou: Ah, stop complaining! This isn't so bad.  
  
Sango: Like you can talk. You have a character that fits you.  
  
Miroku: Yeah, and he's the main character.  
  
Shippou: Hey, I can't help it if the authoress likes me. Besides, I like my part.  
  
Me: Good, now that this is all settled, let's practice, huh????  
  
Group: NO!! WE STILL WANT TO COMPLAIN!!!  
  
Kagome: Yeah, well, you all don't have to kiss Inuyasha!!  
  
Group: (stunned silence)  
  
Me: If you don't want to, you don't have to. We can arrange a stage kiss.  
  
Kagome: (Blush) Well, I don't want to make it hard for the rest of you...  
  
Me: Sure... I understand. (Winks obviously at her) We'll talk about it.  
  
Kagome: (Furious look) SIT GIRL!!  
  
Inuyasha: *WUMP!!!* WENCH!!!!  
  
Kagome: (Blush) Sorry... I forgot. (Blinks) Wait a moment. WENCH?? OSUWARI!  
  
Inuyasha: *WUMP* (Says words not understood to audience)  
  
My job is done with these guys.  
  
"If you will laugh yourself into stitches, follow me!" ~Shakespeare, Twelfth Night  
  
Enjoy the story.  
  
ACT I, SCENE i: The Clearing  
  
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A garden surrounded the duke's mansion. Well, it really did not surround it, but it took up a good amount of the duke's private lands. This same garden was called The Duke's garden, even though the majority of the garden was public. In the garden there was a large clearing in which the Duke, Lord Naraku, often heard complaints of the people of Athens. This clearing was beautiful, carpeted in flowers and surrounded by tall trees. A path ran through the clearing. A fountain was to one side of the clearing; opposite it was a stone figure of Blind Cupid.  
  
There was the sound of many voices suddenly and the Duke himself, Lord Naraku, and his train of servants. When the duke was younger, he had been the heartthrob of the younger women of Athens, for dark hair that hung long, straight and glossy was uncommon and loved back then. He had once had a refined face, but age had made it thin. Though he was still young in many standards, battle scars and wars had taken their toll, making him look old.  
  
But there was some one else within the group. A young woman, also battle scarred, walked with him. She walked far enough from other people to show that she was independent, but close enough to the Duke to show she was his. Her battle scars, unlike the Duke's, only made her look ferocious, and yet, strangely alluring and entrancing. She walked with a grace obtained from many one-on-one dances, battles, fights. She was the Amazon Queen.  
  
Upon recognizing the clearing, the Duke sent his servants away on petty errands, except for one. This one was called Jaken and was the leader of the Duke's train. He was a small, toad-like man, but he kept everything running smoothly. When it was just the Duke and the Amazon Queen, the Duke turned to the Queen to speak.  
  
"Ah, Kagura, my lovely bride," the Duke exclaimed. The queen shot him a look that could have curled cheese. Naraku did not notice it. "Four days, and we shall be wed! Oh, but how slow these days pass!"  
  
The queen glared at him and turned partially away. "Believe me, Milord," she stated coldly. "These four days will pass soon enough." The duke appeared to be miffed by her cold tone. Annoyed, he spun on his lead servant.  
  
"Go, Jaken!" he commanded. "Stir up the Athenian youth to merriment! Let there be celebrations!" Jaken stared at him for a moment before he trotted to fulfill his lord's commands. Once he was gone, Naraku approached Kagura lovingly. "Oh, Kagura, I wooed you with my sword and won your love giving you injuries." Kagura stiffened and turned, a skeptical eyebrow raised, her eyes burning with rage. The duke swallowed, but bravely went on. "But I shall wed you with joy!" Kagura opened her mouth to respond when there was a sound of arguing from up the path. "Hush now, my dear! Someone comes!" Mentally, Naraku made a note to be kind to those who had interrupted her.  
  
It was not one someone. It was four: three men and one young woman. The woman had latched herself onto the youngest of the men and he onto her, and no amount of scolding or pulling from the other older men could separate them. Finally, the older of the two men turned to Naraku and bowed, remembering to nod to the Duchess-to-be.  
  
"Happy be Naraku, our Duke!" the man cried.  
  
"Thanks good Myouga. What can I do for you?" Naraku asked, casting a doubtful eye on the couple. "Pry the young ones apart? Has a glue connected them?'  
  
"Yes!" Myouga screamed, venting out bottled frustration. "I come with a complaint against my daughter, Kagome!" The girl cowered deeper into the man's embrace and the man frowned deeply, tightening his grip on her. "Step forward, Sesshoumaru." The young man that had been attempting to help Myouga pull them apart stepped forward. "Sesshoumaru has my consent to marry my daughter. Step forward Inuyasha." The man with the girl wrapped around him did not step forward, but he straightened his back to make it clear who was who. "You!" Myouga burst out. "You have stolen my daughter's heart and her obedience, which is due to me. And Lord," Myouga continued, turning to Naraku, "if you does not consent to marry Sesshoumaru here, in this clearing, I beg the right of Athens, to dispose of her to Sesshoumaru or her death!"  
  
Inuyasha clutched the girl even tighter to him and Kagome turned her face from her father. There was a tense moment as Naraku debated his choices. He could command her to marry this man; he could call for a man to strike her down that instant. But all thoughts were put away when he glanced at Kagura. What was that in her eyes? Empathy? Grief? And somehow, he knew that either of those choices would not win her over. Besides, he had promised to be merciful to those who came in because of breaking up their beginning debate. Naraku took in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh.  
  
"What do you think, young Kagome?" he asked, surprised his voice sounded tender to his ears. "Remember," he added warningly, "he is your father, and is to be obeyed. Sesshoumaru is a worthy man."  
  
There was a muffled answer from her mouth, which happened to buried in Inuyasha's chest, but Naraku caught it. "So is Inuyasha."  
  
Naraku felt his patience wearing away. He sighed. "Yes," he said snappishly, "but Sesshoumaru has your father's approval and then must be held better than all others."  
  
Kagome turned her face to him, but her eyes were still downcast. "I wish my father looked with my eyes."  
  
"Rather, you must look with his judgement," Naraku said, his voice soft and guiding, not reprimanding, which surprised him. Suddenly, Kagome lifted her eyes and looked Naraku directly in the eye. This too surprised him.  
  
"Please, Your Grace, pardon me. I don't know why I am so bold, but tell me what is the worst that will happen to me if I refuse to marry Sesshoumaru today," the girl said, her voice quivering.  
  
"Death, or a nunnery, to never know the society of man," Naraku said. Both prospects scared her, he could tell. Her face paled. "Therefore, examine yourself. Can you endure the life of a nun?" He slowly made his way down to her and gently took her arms from Inuyasha, who scowled horribly. Obscurely, he turned her to face Sesshoumaru, whose face lit up at this sight. "But you will be happier in this life with Sesshoumaru than growing, living and dying free- and alone." Slowly, Sesshoumaru approached Kagome, his arms wide for an embrace. Inuyasha made a small choking sound and Kagome frowned, marring her pretty features. She pushed Sesshoumaru away and turned on Naraku.  
  
"So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, before I will give up my virginity to a man I do not love!" Kagome cried, retreating to the comforting embrace of Inuyasha. Naraku sighed again and returned to his original place.  
  
"Then, so be it. Take time to think, and in four days, on the day that me and my love," Naraku paused to glance lovingly at Kagura. She returned it with a glance that would have froze ice and he averted his gaze. "Uh, the day that the queen and I marry, be ready to die, to give yourself to Diana, or to give yourself to Sesshoumaru."  
  
Sesshoumaru finally moved to speak. "Please, sweet Kagome, don't do this. And Inuyasha, give it up!" A touch of disgust filled his voice as he spoke his rival's name. Inuyasha chuckled in response and turned dancing eyes on him.  
  
"Her father loves you; Kagome loves me. Let me marry Kagome, and you can marry her father!" Inuyasha muttered, absently stroking Kagome's hair as she chuckled into his chest. Naraku was shocked to notice that his Duchess was laughing aloud.  
  
"Scornful Inuyasha, true, I love him, and what I own my love will give him. As Kagome is mine, I will give her to him!" Myouga snapped, his small, round face growing red in anger. Inuyasha scoffed and turned to the Duke.  
  
"Lord Naraku, I have as good a line as Sesshoumaru and I am as rich as he is. I am younger and can give more love than he, and, which is more than all this combined, Kagome loves me," Inuyasha listed, his voice now clear and resonating. When he saw that he was making no headway, he spun on Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru! I am certain of it! He pronounced his love to Yori's daughter, Kikyo, and he won her heart. And now, she dotes upon him, dotes in idolatry upon this spotted and inconstant man!" Myouga's eyes snapped wide at this declaration and turned accusingly to Sesshoumaru. Naraku only nodded.  
  
"I heard that. I meant to speak to him about it, but I forgot," Naraku said sheepishly. "Sesshoumaru, Myouga, I have some things to talk to you about. Come with me. And, Kagura, come. What cheer my love?" Kagura shot him a glare that, if possible, would have vaporized air and froze stone. Naraku turned away from her and coughed nervously. His eyes landed on Kagome, still encompassed in Inuyasha's arms. He raised his pointer finger to get her attention. "Remember, fair Kagome, four days, and then you shall decide." With that, Lord Naraku, his train, Queen Kagura of the Amazons, Myouga, and Sesshoumaru left the clearing, leaving the lovers alone.  
  
Sesshoumaru, as he left, threw a parting remark about Inuyasha's family line and Inuyasha turned away from his precious love to return blow for blow. Even so, he soon returned to find Kagome pale, her body slack and sad. He blinked wildly before he touched her shoulders lovingly.  
  
"What is this, my love? Why is your cheek so pale? How did the roses there fade so fast?" he asked gently, his voice soothing and as warm as his embrace. Kagome took in a shuddering breath and looked up at him, tears brimming in her eyes.  
  
"Probably for want of rain, which I could very well give them from the shower of my eyes," she sobbed, falling into his comforting embrace. His own eyes glistened from his own tears and he buried his face in her hair.  
  
"Ay me! In all that I could read or hear in tale or history, the course of true love never did run smooth," Inuyasha murmured before he pushed her to an arm's distance.  
  
"He's too old to be engaged to one so young," Kagome muttered angrily. Inuyasha laughed half-heartedly and kissed her lightly. "But, I suppose this is an ordinary occurrence, so let us be patient." Inuyasha smiled.  
  
"Right, so hear me, Kagome. I have a widow aunt, a rich one, and she thinks of me as her only son. She lives seven leagues from Athens. The Athenian law cannot follow us there, and we can be wed. If you love me, come to the clearing we met in many times when the moon rises. There I will wait to steal away with you." Kagome's sad look disappeared.  
  
"Inuyasha, I swear to you by all the vows that ever men have broke, which number more than ever women spoke," she paused as Inuyasha gave her a teasingly offended look and she nuzzled her nose against his. "In that clearing you spoke, I will be there." Inuyasha smiled lovingly at her. Kagome lowered her voice to a whisper. "I promise."  
  
Inuyasha gently brought her mouth within range. "Keep promise, my love." Suddenly, he saw a form coming down the path and jumped back. "Look, here comes Kikyo." Almost in revenge for not finishing the kiss, Kagome leaned into him teasingly.  
  
"Speed to you, fair Kikyo," she called. "Where are you going?" Kikyo, who had been wandering aimlessly, started to hear her name.  
  
"Did you call me fair?" Kikyo asked, her mind not quite on this sudden conversation. "Sesshoumaru loves your fair. This time of year, sickness is catching." Suddenly, Kikyo was ecstatic and on her knees before Kagome. "I wish I could catch your sickness! Teach me how you sway Sesshoumaru's heart." Kagome got over her surprise quickly and straightened herself.  
  
"I frown at him and he loves me," Kagome started.  
  
"I wish my smiles were that strong!" Kikyo interjected.  
  
"I curse him and he still loves me."  
  
"Oh, that my pleas could get so much love!"  
  
"I hate him, and he follows me."  
  
"The more I love, the more he hates me," Kikyo murmured sadly. Kagome smiled at her childhood friend and patted her shoulder gently.  
  
"His mistake, dear Kikyo, is not my fault."  
  
"No fault except for your beauty. I wish I had that fault!"  
  
Kagome looked at Inuyasha, her eyes bright with an idea. Reluctantly, he nodded. "Take comfort!" Kagome hissed quietly. "He won't see me again." Her voice filled with joy at the thought. "Inuyasha and I will leave Athens. Before I met Inuyasha, Athens seemed to be a paradise. What a wonderful man Inuyasha is that he has turned a heaven into a hell!" Inuyasha, flying high with this compliment, wrapped his arms around her waist.  
  
"Tomorrow night, when the moon has risen, a time when lovers' flights are hidden, we will leave Athens," Inuyasha continued.  
  
"And in that wood where we spent time as children, we will meet and then leave. Farewell, my friend, and may Fate grant you your Sesshoumaru. Keep your promise, love. We must starve our eyes of each other's sight until later, sweet friend," Kagome said. Inuyasha kissed her gently and pulled away, only to go back in for another, deeper kiss.  
  
"Mm, I will," he kissed her again. "My Kagome." Kikyo crossed her arms over her chest and looked more offended as they kissed yet again. Finally, they pulled away and Kagome left. "Kikyo adieu. As you do on him, Sesshoumaru dote on you." With that, Inuyasha trotted down the opposite path, leaving Kikyo alone in the clearing.  
  
"Oh, how happy others can be! Throughout Athens, I am thought as fair as she. Who cares? Sesshoumaru doesn't think so. Love doesn't look with the eyes, but with the heart. That's why Cupid is made blind. Love also has no judgement, which is why love is a child," Kikyo murmured, running a hand over the stone figure of Blind Cupid. "Before Sesshoumaru saw Kagome, he declared he was only mine, and I was only his. But the minute he saw her, it was all gone." Kikyo wandered over to the fountain and ran her fingers through the water deep in thought.  
  
Suddenly, she looked up, her eyes wide with a thought. "I will tell Sesshoumaru of their elopement. If I can get a kind word from him, it is enough for what I will pay! It will be little for his gratitude."  
  
With this declaration, she trotted off along the path Kagome had taken, leaving the clearing in The Duke's garden empty.  
  
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Number one: To dote upon someone is to be servant-like, to serve because of love or something like that.  
  
Number two: Next chapter will be short because I am going to go by scenes.  
  
So, like it? Hate it? Tell me what you think! I am not going to continue until I gotten a nice amount of reviews. (For me, that's like, three.)  
  
So, thanks for paying attention to me and managing to make it all the way through this poor demented fic. Don't mind the stuff at the top either. It was something I made to start the silliness. Believe me, this gets funnier. Imagine Kouga with a donkey head.  
  
Yeah, it's gonna get good!  
  
SO REVIEW!!  
  
~ Kay Kylo 


	3. Chapter 2 The Road

Yeah! I have gotten three reviews for this story, and I'm starting it up again!  
  
Youkai Taijiya Kihok: Thanks for your review! I was about to take down the story and revise it for a little while. Your review prevented me from doing that!  
  
The-Real-Rosie-Gamgee: Yes, I am using the original script, and am translating it according to what my teacher told me. He's a Shakespeare fanatic, and he can read Shakespeare better than Shakespeare himself. (Gah!) But in this chapter, I am having a bit of liberties to enrich the humor.  
  
Inuchi: I know you reviewed for this story, but I seem to have misplaced your review. I know it's there somewhere, but it's gone. Thanks for reviewing, but I'm not going to give up searching for it! (Inu-kun: she's just going to copy and paste from the internet. Me: (wack him over the head)) When I find it, I'll respond on the next chappie.  
  
Okay, so on to chapter two! The Road.  
  
Warnings: New people have been placed in some parts since there were not enough characters (that I liked) to place in all the darn parts. And I took a few liberties with the script because it was necessary. Sorry, but I like to try to make things as humorous as possible. That's all for warnings.  
  
Miroku: Look! When she puts her hair back in a ponytail, it looks just like my hairstyle!  
  
Me: -_-* (grabs her *wooden* sword and wacks him over the head with it) Okay, sorry for THAT random comment.  
  
READER MUST GO AND SEE PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN! ONLY THE GREATEST SHOW BASED OFF A RIDE!!! And you could also check out Seabiscuit. Love that movie too. Horsies!!!!!  
  
Um, just a side note. DO YOU KNOW HOW AMAZINGLY EASY IT WAS TO TRANSLATE THIS CHAPTER?????? These clowns did not know much of a poetic language.  
  
Disclaimer: I OWN IT!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! (Police clap irons on her and lead her away to jail. Inu and gang get the chance to write their own chapter! OH NO!!! MY PRECIOUS STORY!!)  
  
Inuyasha: SO, what's this chapter? (Chuckles evilly)  
  
Sango: I have yet to show up. This one focuses on Kouga.  
  
Inuyasha: &^%$ $@#$ @#% *&^%$$%#!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Miroku: Exactly.  
  
_____________________________  
  
Do you bite your thumb at me, sir?  
  
I bite my thumb, sir.  
  
Do you bite your thumb at me, sir?  
  
I bite my thumb, sir, but not at you, sir.  
  
Do you quarrel, sir?  
  
Quarrel, sir? No, sir.  
  
~ Romeo and Juliet, Act I, scene i.  
  
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The Road: Act I, scene ii  
  
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To the east of The Duke's Garden was the Athens Forest. It was a thick, dense forest that stretched for miles. It was rumored to have fairies living in its depths, and many rogues were said to hide and dwell with the fairies, eventually becoming immortal like them.  
  
Between The Duke's Garden and the Athens Forest was a stretch of open land in which a common dirt road ran. If one followed the road north, one would go into Athens. This was a common meeting place for the common rabble.  
  
As was the case for Kouga, the weaver for all of South Athens, and a very good weaver in his opinion. For he, and four of his friends, were going to make a play, present it to the Duke on his wedding day, and win a prize of payment of six-pence a day!  
  
That is, if they could pull it off in four days.  
  
"Ano. Is everyone here?"  
  
Kouga jumped a foot in the air. At his elbow stood one of his friends. The other three were there: Shigure, the bellows mender, Kanna, the joiner, and Rin, the tailor. Moriko, the carpenter, had been the one missing. Kouga was about to answer him when he noticed the rather large, rather imposing female figure behind Moriko. Moriko blushed slightly.  
  
"Uh, Kouga, this is my mother, Kaede. She came to . . . watch." Kouga swallowed and nodded politely to her.  
  
"Good to have you Madame. Ano, Moriko-kun, you'd best call them generally, according to the script," Kouga said, trying to personify professional.  
  
"You mean individually," a voice called from behind him and he spun to find the offender who DARED correct him. He only found three innocent looking faces staring back at him.  
  
"Here," Moriko said, his voice dramatically low, "is the scroll of every person's name, thought throughout Athens, fit to play in our play before the Duke and Duchess-to-be on his wedding day!" Moriko finished triumphantly, holding the infamous scroll in his hand above his head.  
  
On the road, a donkey ee-hawed and an ox bellowed, both not caring about it in the slightest bit. Their masters cared even less, but they were curious as to why this young man was standing there with a scroll when paper had been invented long before.  
  
Moriko looked at the men, embarrassed. Kouga cleared his throat, intent on getting the attention back to him. "First, Moriko, tell what our play is, and then assign the parts."  
  
"Ano," Moriko said, glad to have the attention off of him and the two cart- men moving on. "Our play is "The Sad Comedy of Pyramus and Thisby"."  
  
Kouga nodded approvingly. "A good play," he said, though he had not a wit what it was about. How could anything be a sad comedy? "Assign the roles now."  
  
Moriko scowled. "I was getting there. Answer as I call you. Kouga."  
  
Kouga stepped forward, his entire body portraying professional, official, knowing, wise, smart. "Here, Moriko-kun. Name my part and continue to the others."  
  
Moriko grimaced. "You will have," he paused to deepen his grimace, "Pyramus."  
  
"What is Pyramus? A lover or a tyrant?"  
  
Moriko rolled his eyes. He had suspected Kouga knew not a bit of the play, and this only proved it. "A lover that kills himself most gallantly for love!"  
  
Kouga looked thoughtful, his earlier order to Kouga forgotten. "The performing of such a part will ask for tears. Let the Duke look to his eyes! I will make them cry buckets! I will lament so horridly that the audience will bawl!" Kouga paused and the group beside the road hopefully waited with baited breath; was he finally finished? Kouga opened his mouth and the hope deflated. Nope, he was still blowing hot air. "But I'm best as a tyrant! I can stage rant as well as those blokes that dare call themselves actors!" Suddenly, Kouga jumped atop a rock nearby the group, intent on showing his acting skills.  
  
"The raging rocks/ And shivering shocks/ Will break the locks/ Of prison gates/ And Phibbus' car/ Shall shine from far/ And make and mar/ The foolish Fates!"  
  
He paused, knowing full well that he had gained quite an audience of annoyed companions and confused passersby.  
  
"That was lofty. That was a tyrant, but a lover is more pathetic. Call the rest of the players now, Moriko."  
  
Moriko rolled his eyes and looked back to the scroll, but his mother caught his eye. Moriko blushed for a moment before he looked back to the list. "Finally. Shigure," he called. Shigure stepped forward, a bold look on his face.  
  
"Here, Moriko-sama!"  
  
"Shigure, you must play Thisby," Moriko said, his face just barely kept from grinning like a crazy man. Shigure smiled.  
  
"What is Thisby? A wandering knight? A lady's man? I can play that very well," Shigure asked, going into poses that fit each character. Moriko grinned from ear to ear.  
  
"Thisby is," he paused for drama, "the lady Pyramus must love."  
  
Shigure blinked for a moment before he smiled. "You're joking."  
  
"No."  
  
"Don't make me play a woman!" Shigure pleaded, rubbing a hand over his face. "I've got a beard coming!" There was a short murmur between the ladies and they laughed, except for Kanna. She rarely did anything.  
  
Kouga watched her. Would she even say the lines she needed to?  
  
"Wear a mask," Moriko snapped, oblivious to the second discussion with the ladies. "Now, who's-"  
  
Kouga stepped forward, intending to 'help' poor Shigure. "Let me play Thisby too! I can speak her part in such a monsterous little voice!" He stopped to take in a deep breath and started speaking in the deepest voice he could manage. "Thisny, Thisny!" He suddenly lifted his head and pirouetted very prettily. "Ah, Pyramus!" His voice was the most annoyingly high voice he could muster, and it worked. "My lover dear, thy Thisby dear, and lady dear!" When he finished, Shigure was nodding happily and Moriko was shaking his head furiously. (A/N: Kouga doing a pirouette. It makes me laugh.)  
  
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no! First of all, you spoke Thisby's name wrong, and you must play Pyramus, and Shigure, you Thisby!" Moriko screamed, his hands buried deep into his shaggy mass of hair. Kouga looked at his feet, crestfallen, before he looked back up.  
  
"Well, go on then."  
  
Moriko rolled his eyes again. "Rin."  
  
Rin stepped forward, her pretty little face looking up at him innocently. "Here, Moriko-san. What does Rin play?"  
  
Moriko smiled at her, his anger at Kouga dissipated. "Rin will play Thisby's mother." Shigure's eyes snapped wide and glared pointedly at Moriko.  
  
"My mother, that little girl?"  
  
Moriko glared at Shigure and handed Rin her scroll for the part. Then, he stood up and read the part scroll before another blush spread his face. "Mother."  
  
Kaede stepped forward, her poise more professional than Kouga's entire ensemble. Kouga scowled before his eyes opened wide. "Uh, Mother, you will play Pyramus's father. I will play Thisby's father. And Kanna, you will play the lion! So, if that settles everything-"  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
"We will have to meet in- Wait a moment. Kanna, did you just say something?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The entire group burst into celebrations. She spoke! Kanna spoke! The mute found her voice! Rejoice!  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
Moriko stopped, his eyes wide. "She said two words together!"  
  
"Of course I did."  
  
"Four words together!" Shigure fainted with sheer shock.  
  
"Would you please just let me ask a question?"  
  
"That was a lot of talking, Kanna. Would you like to sit down and rest?"  
  
Kanna sighed. "I just want to know if you have the lion's part written. I am rather slow of study." Moriko fainted dead away.  
  
"Two sentences!" Shigure cried. He had awoken in time to hear that, but fainted again immediately. Kaede and Rin looked around, amused, as the men started to revive again. Kouga was staring at Kanna as if she had grown a second head.  
  
"I don't understand it," Rin was saying to Kaede. "They sounded so surprised. She's quite the chatterbox at home." Moriko shook his head and looked at Kanna, steeling himself for the shock.  
  
"Uh, please repeat the question, Kanna-san."  
  
"Can I have the lion's part?"  
  
Moriko shook his head. "There is no part, for you will do it ad lib! It is nothing but roaring!" Kouga suddenly jumped forward; he desperately wanted the lime light again.  
  
"Let me hide my face and I can play the lion too! I will roar so wonderfully that the Duke will cry, 'let him roar again! Let him roar again!'"  
  
Moriko huffed and glared at him. "If you do it too terribly, you would fright the ladies, they would shriek, and that would be enough to hang all of us!" Shigure put a hand to his neck in fear as the others looked at Kouga accusingly, as if he had already condemned them. Kouga grinned nonchalantly.  
  
"I know, that if I were to do it too horribly, they would have reason to hang us, but listen, I can roar so softly it is like the call of a young nightingale," Kouga said. He demonstrated by letting out a soft rumbling sound that sounded rather like the calling of a bird. Moriko put his forehead in his hands and let out a groan.  
  
"You can play no part but Pyramus, for Pyramus is a sweet man, and you cannot play the lion, so there, and you cannot kick out my mother that way!" Moriko snarled, exasperation rolling from his voice.  
  
"Oh," Kouga said simply. "Then I will undertake the part!" The group groaned. Moriko shook his head and groaned with them.  
  
"Well, Masters, uh, Mother and Ladies, we will meet in the first clearing direct out from here in the moonlight of tomorrow-night. Learn your parts, Kanna, practice the roar, and we will rehearse there. If we rehearsed in the city, others would find our devices and would steal them. Meet there!" Moriko commanded.  
  
"Learn them well!" Kouga called after the three retreating figures. "We will meet then and rehearse courageously and obscenely!" Moriko glared at him.  
  
"WHAT?" he bellowed. "Obscenely?"  
  
"Did I say that? I don't know what it means."  
  
"Be glad. Come now, Mother. Meet there, or may your honor be tarnished, Kouga-kun!" Moriko screamed after Kouga, who was prancing away at a decent pace.  
  
"Rather stuck up fellow, isn't he, son?" Moriko smiled at his mother.  
  
"Yes, but we learn to live with him. I put him in that part to make him shut up."  
  
Kaede laughed, and soon, the road was empty except for several confused cart drivers, who still could not understand why the group had yelled so loudly not long before. But it did not take long for the Road to return to normalcy.  
  
_______________________________________  
  
Kouga: (Running his hands through his hair angrily) How dare you! The humiliation is killing me! ARGH!!! I will hurt you for this- once this is over!  
  
Me: Ah, be a good boy and live with it. It cannot be worse than Sango's part.  
  
Sango: You bet! That is the absolute worst part ever!  
  
Kouga: Why?  
  
Sango: I have to be HIS (points at Miroku) wife, and I have to have a potion placed on my eyes to make me love you, you baka!!!!  
  
Kouga: I did not do the casting.  
  
Me: Why is everyone looking at me? Oh, uh oh . . . HELP!  
  
Um, just to clear up in case you took that serious at the top, I really do not own Inuyasha, nor the rights to A Midsummer Night's Dream. Did you know that people think some more plays are buried with Shakespeare, but since he placed an ominous poem on his grave, no one will open it? CREEPY, MAN, I'M TELLIN' YA!!!!  
  
Just a note, the quote from Romeo and Juliet: that is the stupidest conversation Shakespeare ever wrote. But imagine when biting your thumb at someone was like giving them the finger! That was quite a different time.  
  
If you read my author's note, put the word "shark" in the front of your review. It will just help me gauge how many people read my notes, just for my knowledge. Thanks!  
  
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!  
  
~ Kay Kylo 


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